


Happy Days, Happy Life

by TorunnSays412



Series: Painful Beginnings, Happy Endings [2]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 06:24:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15989498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TorunnSays412/pseuds/TorunnSays412
Summary: Now they're together, and their life couldn't be better, even though they had a rough beginning.





	Happy Days, Happy Life

**Author's Note:**

> So I live in South Carolina and as many of you probably know, Hurricane Florence is battering the Carolinas. My family is safe as we don't live on the coast, and we won't be hit until tomorrow and Sunday, but because of this I have been off school all week so I have had plenty of time to think about this story and finally edit it. A lot of you wanted the sequel, so I polished it up and finally am getting around to posting it now. It is much, much shorter, but hopefully it still wraps everything up nicely. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Their first real, someone-asked-and-the-other-said-yes, date is in Ireland. 

Mark is staying for a week and a half, which is the total amount of videos he had finished beforehand. Jack spends the first day of his visit in disbelief, glancing at Mark often, as if making sure he’s real. 

Mark gracefully ignores it, and urges Jack to finish working so they can do something fun. 

Jack disappears to work, and Mark sprawls out on the couch, face turned towards the TV, eyes half-closed as unfamiliar Irish accents lull him to sleep. He’s dozing when Jack comes out, jet lag catching up with him, and he snorts slightly when Jack pushes his feet out of the way to sit. 

Jack grins at him and says, “Wanna go out?”

The restaurant Jack takes him to is small, easily overlooked. Jack orders them drinks, and Mark catches a change in his voice, his accent slightly stronger when speaking to the young waiter. He thinks about that, and decides it makes sense. He does it, sometimes, when he’s talking on the phone with his mother, or a friend back in Cincinnati. He’ll find himself using different words, his own accent sometimes differing.

Mark is staring at the menu and Jack is staring at him. He hasn’t touched his menu, the plastic-covered paper sitting face-up in front of him. Mark squints at the Irishman, finally, and says, “Do I have something on my face?”

Jack grins and shakes his head. “No, yer fine - I just can’t believe yer here.”

Mark smiles lightly and gently kicks Jack’s foot. “Did you really think I would be able to stay away from you for that long? I was making plans before I had even left the airport.”

Jack shakes his head fondly, casting his gaze down to the menu in front of him. Mark can tell he’s not actually reading it, and wonders how often Jack comes here. 

“They have great pizza,” Jack says, looking up again. “Want to try it?”

They end up getting the pizza, and Mark isn’t surprised to find that yes, they do have great pizza. Jack knows good food when he finds it. 

All in all, it’s a great date. It’s so easy to fall into a rhythm again, even when it’s been weeks since they had last seen each other in person. Jack’s bright smile and easygoing nature erase any doubts Mark may have had in his absence. The low-level anxiety that had plagued him for days after Jack had left was soothed - although not gone - by Jack’s physical presence; Mark can touch him, can feel that he’s still alive. 

It may not have been elaborate, but this date makes Mark’s top ten list of favorites.

///

Mark makes a quick video to explain where he is. He had avoided telling anyone online, to keep his visit a surprise for Jack, but now that he’s here, he doesn’t want to lie to his subscribers. 

He starts it in the kitchen, a sandwich sitting in front of him from where he had made lunch before grabbing the camera. Only after his intro does he say, “So, I know some of you are probably wondering, where are you, Mark? And the answer is - “ He spins the camera around to the fridge, where he’s taped a picture of Jack’s face photoshopped onto a leprechaun’s body. “- I’m in Ireland! I’m visiting Jack for a week or so!”

He turns the camera back to his own face, and thoughtfully says, “Maybe we should check on ol’ Jackaboy. I never got him back for that scare when he was staying with me.” A devilish smile lights up his face.

Silently, holding his finger to his lips, camera still focused on him, he creeps down the hall to where Jack is recording and carefully opens the door. He prays Jack has his volume up loud, that he’s distracted enough he won’t hear or see the door opening. 

He gets lucky. Mark slips into the room, holding his breath, and Jack is completely oblivious. He continues shouting as he plays, and Mark smiles at the camera in his hands. “This is gonna be good,” he mouths, then steps forward until he’s right behind Jack’s chair. Then he lurches forward, hand on Jack’s shoulder, yelling nonsense as Jack screams and slams his knee into his desk trying to spin around. 

“Mark!” he shouts, and Mark bellows laughter. Jack frowns at him, which only makes him laugh harder in response. “You ass! What was that fer?”

“Payback, bitch,” Mark manages to wheeze around chortles. Recognition dawns in Jack’s eyes, and finally the frown fades into exasperation. He rolls his eyes and turns around, to his own camera, and says, “You heard it here first, folks. Markiplier is an asshole.”

This causes another eruption of laughter from Mark’s mouth, and with Jack’s fond gaze on him, he backs out of the room.

///

That weekend, on Saturday, Mark sleeps in. Jack slinks out of bed silently, resisting the urge to crawl back in next to Mark. He goes to the kitchen, starts making breakfast, and calls his mother. 

She answers relatively quickly, considering the early hour, and Jack can’t hide his smile as he says, “Hey, Ma, are yeh busy this weekend?”

Mark comes out a few hours later to find Jack’s mother cleaning out the fridge. Still half-asleep, mid-yawn, and shirtless, Jack watches as Mark freezes mid-step to stare at the woman in the kitchen. 

Then he spins around, before she can see him, and darts down the hall to change into something more appropriate. Jack hides his smile behind his palm and steps forward to gently push his mother to sit down. 

When Mark comes out again, he’s dressed and more awake, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Jack’s mother stands to greet him, introduces herself, and thanks him profusely for helping Jack when he needed it. 

Mark grins, eyes on Jack over her shoulder, and says, “It was my pleasure, Mrs. McLoughlin.”

His mother stays for several hours, getting to know Mark. And even though they are not explicit in their affection, keen eyes, so like her son’s, seem to know exactly what they are hiding from her. For dinner, they take her out, where they are joined by Jack’s father. All in all, it’s a good day. 

That night, his parents gone, they curl up on the couch to watch whatever’s on. “You know,” Mark says, brightly, “it would have been nice to know your mother was here before I walked out in my pajamas.”

Jack chuckles, picking up the remote to change the channel, and says, “To be fair, I didn’t realize she was coming over until she showed up at my door. I just told her you were visiting and wanted to know if she would like to meet yeh.”

Mark hums, and seconds later he falls asleep on Jack’s shoulder. Jack smiles fondly and drags a blanket over to cover him. 

///

The rest of Mark’s trip passes too quickly. Much too quickly for his liking, and he wishes desperately for time to stop; but, of course, his wish does not come true. 

Jack records like crazy, sends multiple videos off for Robin to edit, and does several more himself, all so he can take Mark sightseeing. They take the two days before Mark’s flight leaves and go to Dublin. Jack finds immense pleasure in showing Mark his home country.

They see museums, and Mark loses himself in history. He especially loves the National Leprechaun Museum.They eat dinner at a local pub, and the next morning Mark insists on spending the day at the zoo. 

Then, the morning after that, Jack drives Mark to the airport. Standing outside the car, he embraces Mark tightly. Mark buries his head in Jack’s neck, shivering slightly as rain pounds down on them.

It’s the perfect weather for such a terrible day. 

It will be weeks, if not months, before they see each other again. Their jobs don’t easily allow for traveling, not when they have to prepare videos in advance for every day they are gone. 

They step back, and Jack has to clench his fists to hide their trembling. He swallows hard, and forces a smile onto his face. “Be careful, alright, Mark? And keep going to yer therapy appointments, and I’ll go to mine, and let me know when yeh land -”

“Jack!” Mark grips Jack’s shoulders tightly, abruptly stopping the flow of words leaving the Irishman’s mouth. “Calm down. Deep breaths. I will be fine, you will be fine, and we will see each other again. Trust me.”

Jack nods, breathing out. “I love you, okay? Don’t forget that when you’re off in America.” 

Mark chuckles slightly, but nods. “I love you, too, Jack.” 

They stare at each other for another couple seconds, then Mark sighs and shifts his backpack strap further up his arm. “I guess I should go.”

“I guess,” Jack echoes. Then Mark backs away, and he walks into the airport slowly. Jack swears he can feel his heart clench as his boyfriend disappears from sight. 

Is this how Mark felt, watching Jack leave him?

///

When they start telling people, their parents are the first to know. It’s hard to coordinate their schedules, so in the end they both go home to their families separately and make the announcement by themselves, with the other person on Skype. 

It is, without a doubt, one of the most terrifying things they have ever done in their lives. It doesn’t help that they can’t touch each other, and have to settle for looking through a screen. 

Fortunately, both their families react well, accept it for what it is, even if they seem a little confused at the sudden truth. 

Neither Mark nor Jack can blame them; after all, it wasn’t that long ago they both believed themselves to be straight. But they’re happy together, and their families can see that. 

///

Jack ends up moving to England, to be closer to Felix and some of his other friends. Leaving Ireland and his family is hard, but being near his friends helps, and England is close enough in climate that he doesn’t feel too out of place. 

Felix and Marzia help him pick out a place in Brighton, and then later help him move in. Marzia organizes his kitchen, Felix his living room, while he takes his recording room. 

He and Mark had talked extensively about him moving. They were still hiding their relationship - even now, only their close friends and family knew - but Jack couldn’t handle being alone all the time anymore. He had so few people in Ireland, all of his YouTube friends lived in different countries. His boyfriend was in California, thousands of miles away. But he knew that he couldn’t take that step and move to L.A., not yet, maybe not ever. He’s truly not sure that he would be happy in that city, even with Mark and his other friends there. 

Mark repeats over and over that there’s no rush, Jack can take his time, Mark will wait for him as long as he needs, and they both agree that England isn’t too far of a stretch. It’s easily explained to his subscribers, considering he’s an Irishman, and it’s not as crazy as suddenly moving to America. 

Mark agrees that England will be good for him, and it will even be easier for him to visit without it being suspicious because of Felix living there already. 

“Thanks, guys,” Jack says when they’ve finished. Marzia smiles gently while Felix smacks his shoulder. 

“No problem, man, but you owe us dinner now, okay?” Felix grins. 

“Yeah, yeah, sure,” Jack laughs, already pulling out his phone to schedule delivery. 

///

Mark comes over for a charity livestream, several months after Jack has moved. Felix goes with Jack to pick him up, because he has a car, while Jack doesn’t.

Mark looks exhausted when he finally arrives. His glasses are slipping down his nose, his hair mussed under his ball cap. He’s looking down at his phone, turning it back on. When he looks up and sees Jack, though, his entire face lights up and he rushes forward, throwing himself at Jack, who laughs delightedly. 

Felix, behind him, finally looks up from whatever he’s doing on his phone, and clearly decides they aren’t being very inconspicuous, because he drapes himself over Jack’s back, crowing, “Markiplier!” 

That finally breaks them apart, and Mark hugs Felix, laughing. 

“Thanks for picking me up, guys,” Mark says as they’re walking out to the car. Felix throws an arm over his shoulders and tugs him close, smiling as Mark stumbles with the added weight on his side and nearly drops his suitcase. 

“We would never have left you all alone, to fend for yourself in the wilderness of the U.K.!” Felix cries. Then, quieter, adds, “Besides, it was about time you and Jack got together again.”

///

They come out slowly. They don’t suddenly announce it, it’s introduced in small moments. At conventions, they interact more, make a point of standing too close and hugging often. They don’t dissuade fans from their assumptions. They upload more collabs between the two of them, with more innuendos and banter than before. When they’re in someone else’s video, they aren’t hiding in plain sight so much anymore. 

This means that it’s another two months before they actually make a formal video. The world is going wild, it seems, as more and more people start questioning their relationship. Jack is in L.A., so they make it in Mark’s living room. Jack can’t help but remember the day, almost two years ago now, that they told their fans they had been mugged, and Jack had nearly lost his life. 

So much has changed in such a short amount of time. It’s crazy to think about. 

“Hello, everybody, my name is Markiplier!”

Jack doesn’t bother with his own intro. It’s Mark’s video, technically. He’ll link all his subscribers to it, but he doesn’t think that they need two separate videos to explain something like this. Especially when they essentially share the same fanbase. 

“And today, we have something important to talk about. As you can see, my friend, Jack, is here,” Mark continues, gesturing to Jack, sitting next to him on the couch. “I’m sure you all know him, or at least recognize him.”

Jack waves, chirping a greeting. 

“So, I’m sure a lot you are wondering what this video is about. I’m sure some of you have your suspicions.” Mark runs a hand through his hair nervously. Jack bumps his knee against Mark’s, grounding him. 

“Some of you probably remember a video Jack posted about two years ago, now,” Mark says. 

“We explained that we were mugged, and that I had been injured but would fully recover,” Jack adds. 

“Jack stayed with me for a couple weeks afterward, until he was cleared to fly.”

“And something changed.”

Here they both pause, sucking in deep breaths and looking at each other, fear starting to course through their bodies as they fully realize what they are about to admit. 

Jack turns his bright gaze on the camera, his knee starting to bounce as his anxiety levels rise. “Mark is my boyfriend,” he says quickly, forcing it out as his throat tightens. “We’ve been dating since that trip. We didn’t know if we’d last, so we didn’t want to announce it yet… and then I moved, and Mark has been taking on bigger projects...”

“It never seemed like the right time,” Mark finishes. “And we weren’t ready ourselves to come out. We needed to relearn ourselves, as well as our relationship. We couldn’t do that and worry about the public’s reaction at the same time.”

“We are very happy together,” Jack states, as Mark’s hand lands on his knee, forcing it to still. “And we have been for a while. We may live in different countries, but we’ve made it work. And we didn’t want to hide it anymore.”

“Both Jack and I hope that you all can accept us for who we are,” Mark says gravely. “We know that there are people out there that won’t, but we hope that you, as our subscribers, can understand.”

They finish the video and then spend ten minutes shaking in each other’s arms, as they digest the fact their privacy is fleeting. Soon, their relationship will be public. Everyone will know. 

On the bright side, Jack thinks, watching as Mark starts to edit, at least he can kiss Mark in public without worrying. 

///

Mark moves outside of L.A. for more privacy. Only weeks later, Jack joins him, unable to stay separate any longer. 

///

Mark proposes on accident. He had bought a ring, hidden it in his office, and had never found the courage to actually bring it out and propose. 

But they’re sitting on the couch, watching a movie. Jack is completely absorbed, curled into Mark’s side. And Mark hasn’t been able to focus on the movie because he’s mesmerized by Jack. And that’s when it happens.

“Marry me,” he blurts, staring at his boyfriend. Jack starts, his attention breaking, and turns to look at Mark with wide eyes. 

“Are yeh -”

“Yes, I’m serious,” Mark says. “Marry me, Jack. I’ve never loved anyone half as much as I love you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Marry me, please?”

Jack watches as Mark slides off the couch to kneel in front of him, grabbing his hand on the way. “Aren’t yeh supposed to have a ring?” Jack asks even as tears spring to his eyes. 

“I’ve got one,” Mark says defensively. “It’s just not on me.”

Jack laughs, then nods, a sob escaping his mouth. “Yes, yes, I’ll marry you!” he shouts, throwing himself off the couch into Mark’s arms. Chica barks and sniffs at them as Mark clutches him tight, and they’re both lightheaded from ecstasy. 

/// 

They marry in the spring, like most people dream of. It’s in Cincinnati, so they’re close to Mark’s family, and Jack’s family doesn’t need to fly so far. Some of their friends fly in, like Felix and Marzia, Wade and Molly and Bob and Mandy. Ken and Mary come up, Tyler is there.

Their families get along well, considering their differences. The day is perfect, they’re surrounded by their friends and family, everyone they love and who love them back. The weather even cooperates, something Jack still isn’t used to, even after living in California for almost a year. 

The ceremony is beautiful, according to their guests, but Mark and Jack don’t notice anything beyond each other. All their hard work, every struggle they’ve ever had, all has lead to this moment. They put hours into planning this wedding, and now the time has come, and they couldn’t care less. 

Mark steps on Jack’s foot during the first dance, and Jack smacks his shoulder in return. Jack nearly drops his champagne glass while his brother makes his speech, and Mark almost falls over walking down the aisle. They smear each other’s faces with white cake, and while some people would say that things went wrong, Mark and Jack couldn’t help but think it was better than anything they could have dreamed, because it was imperfect, yes, but it was them, through and through.


End file.
